405 research outputs found
Fracture Toughness of Composite and Unfilled Restorative Resins
Fracture toughness, critical strain energy release rate, and critical stress intensity factor were determined for experimental and commercial restorative resins. A composite resin had lower resistance to arack initiation than an unfilled acrylic resin. The data were consistent with surface failure observed in single-pass wear studies of these resins.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66920/2/10.1177_00220345770560070801.pd
Extraplanar Dust in Spiral Galaxies: Tracing Outflows in the Disk-Halo Interface
There is now ample evidence that the interstellar thick disks of spiral
galaxies are dusty. Although the majority of extraplanar gas in the first few
kiloparsecs above the plane of a spiral galaxy is matter that has been expelled
from the thin disk, the feedback-driven expulsion does not destroy dust grains
altogether (and there is not yet any good measure suggesting it changes the
dust-to-gas mass ratio). Direct optical imaging of a majority of edge-on spiral
galaxies shows large numbers of dusty clouds populating the thick disk to
heights z~2 kpc. These observations are likely revealing a cold, dense phase of
the thick disk interstellar medium. New observations in the mid-infrared show
emission from traditional grains and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in
the thick disks of spiral galaxies. PAHs are found to have large scale heights
and to arise both in the dense dusty clouds traced through direct optical
imaging and in the diffuse ionized gas. In this contribution, we briefly
summarize these probes of dust in the thick disks of spiral galaxies. We also
argue that not only can dust can be used to trace extraplanar material that has
come from within the thick disk, but that its absence can be a marker for newly
accreted matter from the circumgalactic or intergalactic medium. Thus,
observations of dust can perhaps provide a quantitative measure of the
importance of "outflow versus infall" in spiral galaxies.Comment: 8 pages; Invited review for the proceedings of "The Role of Disk-Halo
Interaction in Galaxy Evolution: Outflow vs. Infall?" (Ed. M. de Avillez), in
Espinho, Portugal, 18-22 August 2008 ; high resolution version at
http://www.nd.edu/~jhowk/Papers/papers.html#conferenc
The influence of Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus on childhood respiratory health: A population-based prospective cohort study
Background: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection are common in early childhood. CMV infection favours a T-helper-1 and EBV infection a T-helper-2 cell response, possibly leading to disbalanced T-helper cell response, and subsequent risk of asthma or atopy. Objective: To study the associations of EBV and CMV with lung function, asthma and inhalant allergic sensitization at school age. Methods: This study among 3546 children was embedded in a population-based prospective cohort. At age 6Â years, serum IgG levels against EBV and CMV were measured by ELISA. At age 10Â years, lung function was measured by spirometry, asthma by questionnaire and inhalant allergic sensitization by skin prick test. Results: Unadjusted models showed that seropositivity for EBV was associated with a higher FEV1 and FEF75 (Z-score difference (95% CI): 0.09 (0.02, 0.16) and 0.09 (0.02, 0.15)), while seropositivity for CMV was not. Specific combinations of viruses showed that seropositivity for EBV was only associated with FEV1 and FEF75 in the presence of seropositivity for CMV (0.12 (0.04, 0.20)) and 0.08 (0.01, 0.15)). Seropositivity for CMV in the absence of seropositivity for EBV was associated with an increased risk of inhalant allergic sensitization (OR (95% CI): 1.31 (1.02, 1.68)). All effect estimates attenuated into non-significant mainly after adjustment for child's ethnicity. Seropositivity for EBV or CMV was not associated with asthma. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Associations of EBV and CMV infections in early childhood with school-age lung function and inhalant allergic sensitization are explained by ethnicity, or sociodemographic and lifestyle-related factors
Phonon Self-energy Effects Due To Superconductivity In Bi2sr2cacu2o8+δ
Raman scattering of A1g phonons in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ single crystals (δ=0.13, Tc=86 K) has been measured as a function of temperature. We report an anomalous softening in the frequency and a decrease in the linewidth of the A1g phonon at 290 cm-1 (O1,2 c-axis in-phase vibration) below Tc. We also confirm a smaller anomalous softening in the frequency of the A1g phonon at 465 cm-1 (O3 c-axis vibration), but for this phonon mode no linewidth anomaly has been found. We compare the anomalous softening and linewidth behavior in the superconducting state with theoretical calculations for isotropic s-wave, planar d-wave, and dx 2 -y 2 gap symmetries and as for a layered superconductor model.561384268431Thomsen, C., Cardona, M., Gegenheimer, B., Liu, R., Simon, A., (1988) Phys. Rev. B, 37, p. 9860Heynen, E.T., Cardona, M., Karpinski, J., Kaldis, E., Rusiecki, S., (1991) Phys. Rev. B, 43, p. 12958Kendizora, C., Kelley, R.J., Onellion, M., (1996) Phys. Rev. Lett., 77, p. 727Macfarlane, R.M., Rosen, H., Seki, H., (1987) Solid State Commun., 63, p. 831Ruf, T., Thomsen, C., Liu, R., Cardona, M., (1988) Phys. Rev. B, 38, p. 11985Burns, G., Chandrashekhar, G.V., Dacol, F.H., Strobel, P., (1989) Phys. Rev. B, 39, p. 775Bokholt, M., Erie, A., Splittgerber-Hünnekes, P.C., Güntherodt, G., (1990) Solid State Commun., 74, p. 1107Leach, D.H., Thomsen, C., Cardona, M., (1993) Solid State Commun., 88, p. 457Martin, A.A., Lee, M.J.G., (1995) Physica C, 254, p. 222Liu, R., Klein, M., Han, P.D., Payne, D.A., (1992) Phys. Rev. B, 45, p. 7392Menéndez, J., Cardona, M., (1984) Phys. Rev. B, 29, p. 2051Litvinchuk, A.P., Thomsen, C., Cardona, M., (1992) Solid State Commun., 83, p. 343Zeyher, R., Zwicknagl, G., (1990) Z. Phys. B, 78, p. 175Nicol, E.J., Jiang, C., Carbotte, J.P., (1993) Phys. Rev. B, 47, p. 8131Devereaux, T.P., (1994) Phys. Rev. B, 50, p. 10287Kendziora, C., Rosenberg, A., (1995) Phys. Rev. B, 52, pp. R986
Ceramides: A potential therapeutic target in pulmonary emphysema
Background: The aim of this manuscript was to characterize airway ceramide profiles in a rodent model of elastase-induced emphysema and to examine the effect of pharmacological intervention directed towards ceramide metabolism.Methods: Adult mice were anesthetized and treated with an intratracheal instillation of elastase. Lung function was measured, broncho-alveolar lavage fluid collected and histological and morphometrical analysis of lung tissue performed within 3 weeks after elastase injection, with and without sphingomyelinase inhibitors or serine palmitoyltransferase inhibitor. Ceramides in broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were quantified by tandem mass spectrometry.Results: BAL fluid showed a transient increase in total protein and IgM, and activated macrophages and neutrophils. Ceramides were transiently upregulated at day 2 after elastase treatment. Histology showed persistent patchy alveolar destruction at day 2 after elastase installation. Acid and neutral sphingomyelinase inhibitors had no effect on BAL ceramide levels, lung function or histology. Addition of a serine palmitoyltransferase inhibitor ameliorated lung function changes and reduced ceramides in BAL.Conclusions: Ceramides were increased during the acute inflammatory phase of elastase-induced lung injury. Since addition of a serine palmitoyltransferase inhibitor diminished the rise in ceramides and ameliorated lung function, ceramides likely contributed to the early phase of alveolar destruction and are a potential therapeutic target in the elastase model of lung emphysema
Prospective longitudinal evaluation of lung function during the first year of life after repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate lung function and respiratory morbidity prospectively during the first year of life in patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia and to study the effect of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy. DESIGN: Prospective longitudinal cohort study. SETTING: Outpatient clinic of a tertiary-level pediatric hospital. PATIENTS: The cohort of 43 infants included 12 patients treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Evaluation was at 6 and 12 months; 33 infants were evaluated at both time points. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Maximal expiratory flow at functional residual capacity and functional residual capacity were measured with Masterscreen Babybody. Z-scores were calculated for maximal expiratory flow at functional residual capacity. Mean maximal expiratory flow at functional residual capacity values at 6 and 12 months were significantly below the expected values (mean z-score -1.4 and -1.5, respectively) without a significant change between both time points. Values did not significantly differ between extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and nonextracorporeal membrane oxygenation-treated patients. Functional residual capacity values were generally high, 47% were above the suggested normal range, and did not change significantly over time. Mean functional residual capacity values in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-treated patients were significantly higher than in nonextracorporeal membrane oxygenation-treated patients (p = .006). The difference (5.1 mL/kg ± 1.8 SE) did not change significantly between the two time points. Higher mean airway pressure and longer duration of ventilation were associated with higher functional residual capacity. None of the perinatal characteristics was associated with maximal expiratory flow at functional residual capacity. Mean weight z-scores were significantly below zero at both time points (p < .001). Mean weight z-score in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-treated patients were lower than in nonextracorporeal membrane oxygenation-treated patients (p = .046). CONCLUSIONS: Infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia have decreased expiratory flows and increased functional residual capacity within the first year of life. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-treated patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia may have more respiratory morbidity and concomitant growth impairment. Close follow-up beyond the neonatal period is therefore required. Copyrigh
A new look at energy release rates for quasistatically propagating cracks in inelastic materials
A mapping technique is used to derive an integral expression for the energy release rate for a quasistatically propagating crack. The derivation does not depend on any assumptions in regard to the contitutive behavior of the material. It leads to a contour integral around the crack tip, plus an area integral over the region enclosed by this contour. Only the stress and displacement fields appear in the integrands. Although for stationary crack solutions known to the authors the area integral is not convergent, for propagating crack solutions in elastoplastic material, the integrals are convergent, and lead to zero energy release rate. This confirms conclusions by Rice from an independent point of view.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/42773/1/10704_2004_Article_BF00012388.pd
Raman phonons as a probe of disorder, fluctuations and local structure in doped and undoped orthorhombic and rhombohedral manganites
We present a rationalization of the Raman spectra of orthorhombic and
rhombohedral, stoichiometric and doped, manganese perovskites. In particular we
study RMnO3 (R= La, Pr, Nd, Tb, Ho, Er, Y and Ca) and the different phases of
Ca or Sr doped RMnO3 compounds as well as cation deficient RMnO3. The spectra
of manganites can be understood as combinations of two kinds of spectra
corresponding to two structural configurations of MnO6 octahedra and
independently of the average structure obtained by diffraction techniques. The
main peaks of compounds with regular MnO6 octahedra, as CaMnO3, highly Ca doped
LaMnO3 or the metallic phases of Ca or Sr doped LaMnO3, are bending and tilt
MnO6 octahedra modes which correlate to R-O(1) bonds and Mn-O-Mn angles
respectively. In low and optimally doped manganites, the intensity and width of
the broad bands are related to the amplitude of the dynamic fluctuations
produced by polaron hopping in the paramagnetic insulating regime. The
activation energy, which is proportional to the polaron binding energy, is the
measure of this amplitude. This study permits to detect and confirm the
coexistence, in several compounds, of a paramagnetic matrix with lattice
polaron together with regions without dynamic or static octahedron distortions,
identical to the ferromagnetic metallic phase. We show that Raman spectroscopy
is an excellent tool to obtain information on the local structure of the
different micro or macro-phases present simultaneously in many manganites.Comment: Submitted to PR
Associations of Plasma Fatty Acid Patterns during Pregnancy with Respiratory and Allergy Outcomes at School Age
Fatty acids might play a role in asthma and allergy development as they can modulate
immune responses. We examined among 4260 mother-child pairs participating in a population-based
cohort the associations of maternal plasma fatty acid patterns during pregnancy with a child’s
respiratory and allergy outcomes at school-age. In mid-pregnancy, 22 individual fatty acids were
measured from maternal blood. Three patterns were previously identified by principal component
analysis: A ‘high n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)’, a ‘monounsaturated and saturated fatty
acid’, and a ‘high n-3 PUFA’ pattern. At the age of 10 years, a child’s lung function was assessed by
spirometry, current asthma and physician-diagnosed inhalant allergy by questionnaire, and inhalant
allergic sensitization by skin prick tests. A higher ‘high n-6 PUFA’ pattern was associated with a higher
forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity and forced expiratory flow after exhaling 75% of
forced vital capacity (Z-score difference (95% CI) 0.04 (0, 0.07) and 0.04 (0.01, 0.07), respectively, per SD
increase in the fatty acid pattern). We observed no associations of maternal fatty acid patterns with a
child’s asthma or allergy outcomes. Our results showed limited associations of maternal patterns of
high n-6 PUFA concentrations in pregnancy with a better lung function in school-aged children
Parental psychological distress during pregnancy and the risk of childhood lower lung function and asthma: a population-based prospective cohort study
Background Although maternal psychological distress
during pregnancy is associated with increased risks of
respiratory morbidity in preschool children, it is unknown
whether this association persists into later childhood.
Objective To examine the association between
parental psychological distress during pregnancy and
lung function and asthma in children of school age.
Methods This study of 4231 children was embedded
in a population-based prospective cohort. Parental
psychological distress was assessed by the Brief
Symptom Inventory during and 3 years after pregnancy,
and in mothers also at 2 and 6 months after pregnancy.
At age 10 years, lung function was obtained by
spirometry and asthma by questionnaire.
Results The prevalence of asthma was 5.9%. Maternal
overall psychological distress during pregnancy was
associated with a lower forced vital capacity (FVC)
(z-score difference −0.10 (95% CI −0.20 to –0.01) per
1-unit increase), maternal depressive symptoms during
pregnancy with a lower forced expiratory volume in
the first second (FEV1
) and FVC (−0.13 (95% CI −0.24
to –0.01) and −0.13 (95% CI −0.24 to –0.02) when
using clinical cut-offs) in their children. All maternal
psychological distress measures during pregnancy were
associated with an increased risk of asthma (range OR:
1.46 (95% CI 1.12 to 1.90) to 1.91 (95% CI 1.26 to
2.91)). Additional adjustment for paternal psychological
distress during pregnancy and parental psychological
distress after pregnancy did not materially change the
associations. Paternal psychological distress during
pregnancy was not associated with childhood respiratory
morbidity.
Conclusion Maternal, but not paternal, psychological
distress during pregnancy is associated with an increased
risk of asthma and partly lower lung function in children.
This suggests intrauterine programming for the risk of
later-life respirator
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